Spencer Trappist Ale

Brewed in Spencer, Massachusetts at The Spencer Brewery, Spencer Trappist Ale has the notable distinction, at least as of the time of writing, of being the only certified Trappist beer brewed outside of Europe. The brewery is affiliated with St. Joseph’s Abbey, and has been brewing their 6.5% blonde ale for a few years now—I’ve been wanting to try it ever since I read about the stuff some years back, so I was pretty thrilled when I saw it sitting on the shelf at a Toronto beer vendor.

 The beer has a cloudy appearance and a thin but stubborn layer of eggshell head. STA has a fruity, yeast-heavy nose, with notes of apple and cranberry. The flavour is somewhat uncharacteristic for an abbey beer, in that isn’t particularly funky or rich in Belgian-style yeasts. That’s not to say that the beer isn’t yeast-driven, but it is a bit less tart and tangy than some of the longer established Trappist beers from Europe. The flavour is well-balanced, with slightly sour fruit notes and breadiness sitting on either end of the seesaw.

After downing the better part of a corked and caged 650mL bottle of the stuff, my conclusion is that Spencer Trappist Ale is an interesting addition to the tightly regulated and prescribed world of Trappist ales. It’s a nice blonde ale, but it lacks some of the verve I’ve come to expect when I see the “Authentic Trappist Product” icon on a beer label. However, I suspect that some of my findings were due to my own mistaken expectations—I wanted to open a bottle of North American Chimay or Achel, without accounting for the fact that Spencer is not a Belgian brewery, with all of the history and baggage that comes with. Instead of comparing this ale to one from Westmalle, I should have been appreciating it on its own merits a little more. In that context, it stands up well as a pretty decent gold ale. I’d really have liked a bit more booze and  depth, and a fuller mouthfeel, but for a first offering, Spencer Trappist Ale was pretty good. I’m interested in seeing what direction the monks head in from here; a dubbel or trippel could really knock my socks off if done well.

Rating: 7.0 out of 10.

Westvleteren 12

When my ol' pal WFM returned from his honeymoon in Belgium, he came home with a sixer of Westvleteren 12, reputed to be the best beer in the world. Lucky me, I got to enjoy one 12 oz bottle of the stuff because my friend is magnanimous. At 10.2%, this brew is a hefty tripel. It's a hazy rusty ale that pours with a thick, creamy head. It comes from Sint Sextus Abbey in Vleteren, in West Flanders, Belgium.

W12 doesn't have a powerful aroma, but it has some serious subtlety, with notes of raisin, rich yeast, and some tart cherry. The flavour, though, isn't the least bit tart. It's very smooth, with yeasty, malty, and sweet, with raisin notes. Remarkably, the alcohol (10.2!!!) is barely detectable--brilliantly masked.

While I don't think I'd class it as the best in the world, W12 is a pretty damn tasty ale. It's very rich, criminally easy to drink, and strong as fuck. The flavour is extremely nuanced and compelling. Down to the lack of a label, this beer is unpresumptuous, letting the flavour do the talking.

Rating: 9.0 out of 10.

St-Feuillien Tripel

St-Feuillien Tripel is a Belgian abbey beer from Le Roeulx, where it is crafted by Brasserie St-Feuillien. Sold in stubby 330mL bottles, this cloudy Ale is dull gold in colour, and pours with a thin covering of off-white head. At 8.5% alcohol, it has some ballast, but isn't nearly as potent as some other tripels out there.

S-F has a tart aroma that is both yeasty and fruity. The flavour, too, is fairly tart, with sour apple and white grape elements. As well, there are some yeasty notes, though less than in some other Belgian and Belgian-style brews. The finish is dry and has a faintly perfumed quality.

What I liked most about S-F was the fact that it was more tart than sweet. For such a strong beer, I found the flavour profile to be somewhat mild, but not unpleasant. The only real concern that I had was a slightly chemical taste that marred the finish for me. All told, a good but not great tripel. Buy again? Sure. I liked it, and the front end was unique.

Rating: 7.0 out of 10.

Gregorius Trappistenbier

Austria's Trappist brewery, Stift Engelszell, is the outfit responsible for Gregorius Trappistenbier, a liver-battering 10.5% alcohol ale. Hailing from Engelhartszell, Austria, this stuff is sold in 330mL bottles. It's a very dark ale; a bloody, swampy, deep ruby, and pours with a fluffy but short-lived head. I'm pretty sure that this stuff would be classed as a quadrupel.

Gregorius has a powerful aroma: sweet, fruity, and extremely boozy. There are raisin and fig notes on the nose that carry over into the flavour. It's a very rich ale that begins with a lot of sweetness, but there is actually a pleasant bitterness buried in the finish that really keeps things interesting.

Strong. That's what this stuff is. It's flavourful and thick, with heaps of hooch. Not an ale for novice drinkers of Trappist ales.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.

Maredsous Brune 8

Maredsous Brune is, I think, a dubbel. It comes from Maredsous Abbaye, a Benedictine monastery in Belgium. I had a glass on tap at a Toronto beer bar that specializes in Belgian and Belgian-style ales. The hazy, ruddy brown brew topped with a thick tan head was served to me in abeautiful branded chalice. It contained a hearty 8% alcohol.  According to the tap list at the chill little pub, this beer is brewed according to the Benedictine monks' original recipe.

Great bar, but dark.

I found it to have a really powerful tart fruit aroma that really cleared my sinuses out. In contrast to the sharp aroma, the flavour and mouthfeel were really quite mellow for a strong beer. It's highly malty and undeniably fruit-driven. There are notes of pear and raisin. The finish has a tiny bump of hops, but overall, the stuff leans firmly toward malt. There is a dusting of tartness to wrap things up.

This was a sweet and strong beer--one that I really enjoyed and am glad to have tried, but one I won't be going back to anytime soon.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.

Chimay Triple

 Chimay Triple is a bold Trappist Ale brewed in Baileux, Belgium by Bières de Chimay. It is, according to the label, "brewed at Scourmont Abbey" by Trappist monks. Sold in 330mL bottles, Chimay Triple contains a vigorous 8% alcohol.

C.T. pours a cloudy, dull orange colour, topped with a relentless cloud of off-white head and containing lively carbonation. It has a warm, boozy aroma that blends yeastiness with a touch of cider tartness. The 8% alcohol is on full display in a flavour that is at once bready and bitter. This is a very full-bodied brew. I'd like a touch more sweetness to round it out a little bit.

A fairly heavy beer, I wouldn't recommend reaching for a Chimay Triple early in an evening. However, a cool bottle of this stuff is an excellent way to wind down before bed at the end of a long work week. 

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

Unibroue-Trois Pistoles

Chambly, Quebec's Unibroue has built its reputation brewing big, robust, yeasty brews.  Of their entire roster (at least of the brews I've tried), I'm inclined to say that their Trois Pistoles dark ale is my favorite.  Trois Pistoles' mystique begins with its badass packaging.  Like all Unibrue products, it features a foil cap.  The label is adorned with a spooky gothic font and the image of a winged horse flying above a church.  Cool stuff.

I opted for a six-pack of 341mL bottles, though this ale is also available in gargantuan 750ml vats.  Trois Pistoles is a strong beer, clocking in at a virile 9% alcohol.  It pours an incredibly dark brown colour with ruby highlights.  It is almost entirely opaque, which makes it hard to detect the carbonation, but trust me, it is there.  When poured, la biere yields a persistent off white head that will be with you until your pint is done.  However, for all of the persistence of the head, there isn't a lot of lace.  I suspect the beer is too heavy to waste its time clinging to a glass.

The aroma suggests a very malty and sweet beer.  There are notes of cherry.  Similarly, the taste is sweet and malty.  The cherry flavour is present, as are notes of red grape.   The mouthfeel is not as thick and creamy as I expected; more of a medium body.  The aftertaste is rich, but doesn't linger.  There is a slight bitterness, but I can't call this beer well-balanced: it is definitely a malty beast.I read some reviews that suggest the alcohol taste is cleverly masked.  I call bullshit.  This beer tastes strong, particularly at the finish.  If you sip it, you know how much alcohol you're consuming.

This is a BIG beer.  I wouldn't recommend trying to take on more than one or two in a sitting.  However, I definitely recommend picking up a six-pack.  If you're anything like me, it'll languish in your fridge.  You'll haul one out every week or so, enjoy it, and then leave the rest.  It is reminiscent of an abbey beer: strong, yeasty, meaty ales from Belgium.  When I think about Trois Pistoles, the adjective that immediately springs to mind is warm.  This beer will thaw you out on a cold night.  It has huge character and big flavour.  My only complaint is that it lacks drinkability.  If you bring six to a party, you're coming home with four...

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.